As is known in the art, network processors can be used to pass data traffic to various networks over different network interfaces. However, network processors may not be able to serve interfaces at line-rate data throughput due to limited processing power or insufficient memory bandwidth.
A network processor (NP) should ideally pass network packets from a source (a first network) to a destination (a second network) without losing any packets. However, various factors can cause packets to be dropped. A network processor may have insufficient processing power to handle all packets. The maximum possible data throughput for one network and associated media connection to the network processor is often different than for other networks/media connected to the network. A ‘slower’ media/network may not be able to accept all packets from a ‘faster’ media/network. Data throughput from a particular network is usually limited by the media.
Assume that a software application operating on a network processor is trying to handle network packets incoming on attached networks. Also assume that a first network has a data throughput twice that of a second network coupled to the network processor due to media limitations, for example. Packets from the first network are routed to the second network. If the first network is submitting packets to the network processor at line rate (i.e., as fast as media allows) then only half of those packets will reach the second network. Thus, the network processor may drop about half of the packets from the first network due to insufficient bandwidth in the second network. Reception of each packet involves a number of processing tasks so that if the packet is dropped later on, then the processing time used for receiving and processing the packet is wasted.